Wes Ball, the director of Nintendo’s upcoming The Legend of Zelda movie, has discussed some of his ambitions for the project, saying he “would love to see a live-action Miyazaki” – a reference to legendary Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki, whose animated work includes Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Laputa: Castle in the Sky.
Ball, who has previously helmed the three Maze Runner films and is currently working on next year’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, was announced as the director of Nintendo’s live-action The Legend of Zelda movie last month, as part of the project’s official unveiling.
And now, speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Ball has shared a little of his vision for the Zelda film, describing it as “this awesome fantasy-adventure movie that isn’t like Lord of the Rings, it’s its own thing. I’ve always said, I would love to see a live-action Miyazaki. That wonder and whimsy that he brings to things, I would love to see something like that.”
Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto noted the film adaptation would “take time until its completion” when announcing the project last month, and it may be even further out than some had imagined, with Ball noting a script hasn’t even been finalised yet.